Sheet fed rotary printing presses



Jan. 1, 1957 H. J. I UEHRS ErAE 2,775,934

SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES v Filed Feb. 27, 1953 11 sheets-sheet 1 IN V EN TORS www @www

Jan. 1, 1957 l -H. J. I UEHRS- E-rAx. 2,775,934 SHEET EED ROTARY PRINTING PREssEs Filed Feb. 27. 1955` 11 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORS, ,s F i Wam? H. J. Lul-:HRS Erm. 2,775,934

SHEET F' ED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Jan. 1, 1957 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 27, 1953 cocoon OvCOO INVENTORSA Y Wmmf ' Jan. 1, 1957 H. J. LuEHRs ErAL SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES l1 Sheets-Sheet 4 Eiled Feb. 27, 1953 ooooow Q ATTORAEKS Jan. 1, 1957 H. J. LUEHRS ETAL 2,775,934

SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 27. 1953 l1 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATIIDRNE'YS Jan. l, 1957 Filed Feb. 27. 1953 i l 4IT l H. J. LUEHRS ETAL SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES 11 shets-sheei es v INVENTOR. M M FV- 7 4mm/f Jan. 1, 1957 H. J. LUEHRs Erm. 2,775,934

SHEET RED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 27. 1953 11 sheets-sheet 7 .IN1/mmm,

lq BY my 9 MFV Mmm Jan. 1, 1957` H. J. LUEHRS ETAL SHEET RED ROTARY PRINTING RREssEs 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 Eiled Feb. 27, 1953 NRT ATTORNEYS' Jan. 1, 1957 Filed Feb. 27. 1953 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORY.

am l, 1957 H. J. I UEHRs Erm. 2,775,934

SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 27, 1953 1l Sheets-Sheet lO INVENTORS'.

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ATTRNEY' Jan. l, 1957 H, J, LUI-:HRS ETAL 2,775,934

SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES Filed Feb. 27. 1953 l1 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTORS.

BM fk. 4Min States Patent() SHEET FED ROTARY PRINTING PRESSES j Hans J.`Luehrs and-Henry M. Clarke, Jr., Westerly, R. I.,

assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Cottrell Company, Westerly, R. I., a corporation of Delaware lApplication February 27, 1953, Serial No. 339,302 z 21 claims. (ci. 10i-18s) `An object of this `invention is to provide a sheet fed rotary printing press, in which a single and elective means is` employed for conveying sheets, fed from a sheet supply' pile, through one or more printing units, and one or more sheet drying units when used, to a sheet deliveryY 'Another object is to provide a running sheet register,4

for registering the sheets before they are conveyed by the endless carrier grippers through the printing mechanism, to the sheet delivery pile. f

Another object is to provide an automatic conpensating means for theendless chain carrier, said means being preferably operable to uindependently compensate each of the side chains of the endless carrier, whereby the endless carrier grippers are maintainedin their proper positions. as theypass through the printing mechanism, and the drying mechanism if used.

Another object is to provide means whereby the sheets maybe perfectedwithout the necessity of being transferred from one carrier to another carrier, with the consequent loss of sheet register.

Another object is to provide sheetdrying units comrotated prising steam and water cylinders which may be in either direction.

Another object is to provide novel'gripper mechanism,

in which the gripper bars are providedwith off-set por-v j tions which are pivoted to opposite links'of the carrier` sideA chains' in substantial alignment with the tips of the' grippers, thereby maintaining the gripper ktips inreg'ister with the path of the endless carrier chains. 4

Another object object is to provide a gripper mechanism, in which the gripper bars arev provided with olf-sert portions `which are pivoted to two opposite links of the side chains.

Another object is to provide gripper bar registering means carried by the impression cylinders of the printing unitsfor ensuringthe proper positioning of the gripper bars as the grippers pass around the impression cylinders.

Another object is to provide means whereby smaller head'and tailspacing of the sheets may be used and smallercylinders may be used to obtain increased production at lower surface speed. v

Another object is to provide the impression cylinders of the printing units, yand the cylinders of the drying units, when used, with peripheral recesses for receiving the gripper bars, as `the grippers pass around the cylinders with vthe gripper tips at the peripheries of the cylinders.

Another object is to provide tracks for guiding the travel of the side chains .and separate tracks for independently guiding `the travel of the gripper supporting bars.

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Practical embodiments of this invention lare represente in the accompanying drawings, in whichi Figs. 1 and la are diagrams showing the endless chain carrier arranged to convey the sheets fed `from the sheetsupply pile, through iirst and second side multi-color printing units `and their sheet drying units, to the sheetV delivery pile; Figs. 2 and 2a are similar diagrams, Without the drying units;

Figs. 3 and 3a are diagrams showing the endless chain carrier arranged to convey the sheets, fed from the sheet supply pile, through a single multi-color printing unit and its sheet drying unit, to the sheet delivery pile;

Figs. 4 and 4a are similar diagrams, without the drying unit;

Figs. 5 and 5a are diagrams showing the endless chain carrier arranged to convey the sheets fedfrom the sheet supply pile, through a row, in the present instance two, of single color printing units and a sheet drying unit, to the sheet delivery pile;

Figs. 6 and 6a are similar diagrams, Without the drying unit;

Fig. 7 is a detail cross-section of the automatic chain compensating means;

Fig. 8 is a`detail longitudinal Vertical section taken in the plane of the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7 in a somewhat smaller scale;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan of one of the chain gripper'bars located in a peripheral recess of an impression cylinder; Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same; Fig. 1l is a detail section showing one of the grippers inside Velevation with the gripper bar located in aV peripheral recess of a drying cylinder;

Fig. l2 is a detail section showing one of the front I ban its adjacent elements being shown in section.

In the several forms shown diagrammatically in Figs. 1, la to 6, 6a inclusive, the sheet supply pile is denoted by 1, the sheet delivery pile by 2, the endless chain carrier by 3, and its spaced sets olf grippers by 4, and the initial manual chain take-up devices by 5. The running sheet register is denoted by 6 and the automatic chain compensating device, to be hereinafter described, by 7. The running sheet register 6 coacts wtih the endless chain carrier 3 to end and side register the sheets before the sheets vare printed. This running sheet register 6 may be of any well-known or approved construction such, for instance, as that shown, described and claimed in any one of the co-pending applications of Hans I. Luehrs, tiled April 4, 1951, Serial No. 219,198, now Patent No. 2,638,342; filed January 24, 1952, Serial No. 267,960, now Patent No. 2,638,343; `and led January 29, 1953, Serial No. 333,926; in which angularly disposed rollers serve as the means for advancing the sheets into front and side register with front and side register stops.

In the multi-color sheet perfecting rotary printing press shown in Figs. l, 1a and 2, 2a, each of the two multicolor printing units of the printing mechanism is shown as comprising an impression cylinder 8, its peripheral gripper bar receiving recess 9; the two form cylinders 10; their peripheral gripper bar receiving recesses 11, and the inking mechanisms by 12. In Figs. l, la, two sheet drying units are shown, each comprising a steam cylinl der 13, a Water cylinder 14, and their respective peripheral gripper bar receiving recesses 1S and 16.v

In the non-perfecting rotary printing press shown Figs. 3, 3a and 4, 4a, the single multicolor printing unit Patented Jan. 1, 1957 3a, a sheet drying unit is shown, comprisingsteamandl water cylinders22 and 23, and their` respective peripheral gripper. bar-receiving recesses 24fand 2.5.

Inthe non-perfectingrotary printing press` shown in Figs. ,5, Strand V6, 6a, each of the single *color printing units is shown as comprising an impression cylinders26,

its` peripheralgripperban receiving recess 27, the form cylinder 28, its peripheral gripper bar receiving recess 29, and the inking mechanism 3). In Fig. 5a, the drying unit is Ashown as comprising water and steam cylinders 31 .and 32, and their peripheral gripperbar receiving recesses 33 and 34. i

Inthevariousl formsillustrated, the side chains of the endless carrier 3 pass around sprockets 35 at the ends ofthe impression cylinders of the printing units and also around sprockets (not shown) at the opposite ends of the` vcylinders of the drying units when they are used. These side chains also pass around the necessary sprockets 36, shown in diagram, for passing the endless carrier throughthedesired endless path between the sheet supply and delivery piles 1 `and 2. These side chains are alsovguided by upper and lower guide rails 37 `and 38 located in the desired places.

The gripper assemblies each include, agripper bar139 which carries. a row of grippers 4, the relatively Vstationary gripper jaws 40 being fixed `along the said bar 39, and the relativelymovable coacting gripper jaws 41 being fast on a rock shaft 42 mounted in the stationary gripper jaws40.

The gripper bar 39 is provided at each of its ends with anoff-set portion, as a lateral arm 43,`pivoted at 43* to one of two opposite links of the` side chains, in substantial alignment with the tips of the gripper jaws 40, 41 so that the said tips will be maintained on the pitch line of the side chains 3 and the various cylinders and sprockets around which the side chains pass. Each gripper bar 39 is guidedin its path by providing the ends of the gripper bar with rollers 44 which travel-between upper and lower track rails 45 and 46.y The rock shaft 42 of the movable gripper jaws 41 is provided at-each end with an `arm 47 carrying a roller 48, which is engaged by a stationary cam 49 to rock the shaft to open the grippers to take the registered sheets from the running sheet register 6. A stationary cam 49* is provided in position to engage said roller 48 to open the grippers for depositing the printed sheets onto the sheet delivery pile 2.

The gripper bar 39 may be provided with stops 39* for front registering the sheets as they pass through the running sheet register 6 into the grippers 4.

Automatic means arranged in pairs are provided along the endless chain carrier for independently compensating each of the side chains fortaking up the slack therein. The compensating means f each pair is shown as including the following elements: A vertically movable guide rail section 38* of the lower guide rail 38 is mounted on two vertically disposed brackets 50 ,having upper andlower arms 51 and 52, the lateral endsofsaid arms being .slidable on stationary vertical rods 53, txed in thev upper and lower supports 54 and 55 carriedby the frame 56. Each bracket is shown as pressed upwardly by coil springs 57 extending along the rods 53 between the lower support 55 and the upper arm 51 The upper surfaces of these upwardly pressed guide rail sections 38:, over which the links of the sidechainspass, arey line between its upper land lower track rails 45 and 46 as the side chains are deflected by the independent upward movements of the lower guide rail sections 38*.

Gripper registering devices may be employed on the impression cylinders of the printing units for ensuring the proper positioning of the, grippers as they pass the sheets around the impression cylinders, during the printing operations.

The device which I have shown for accomplishing the above result includes a spring pressed roller 58 on each end of the impression cylinder, whichroller is carried by a support 59. These spring pressed rollers S8 engage the gripper bars 39 to press themagainst their upper track sections 45 while the grippers are located in the coacting recesses in the plate and impression cylinders during the printing operation. It will also be noted that the pressure of these rollers 58 also causes the offset portions 43 of the gripper bar 39z to exert pressure against the links of the side chains and thereby against4 the anks `of the teethtof the sprocket 35, thereby accurately positioning the gripperbar assembly in ther imf pression cylinder.

It is evident that variouschangesmayy bevresorted t0 in the form, construction andarrangement of the several parts without departing fromythe spirit and scope of this:

invention, and hencer it is not intended,toabe Vlirntedto the particular embodiments shown and described-hereim What we claim is:

l. In a sheet fed rotary printingfpress, a printing unit, including plate and impression cylinders, andian endless chaincarrier including side claimsLswinging gripper bars and rowsA of gripperscarriedy thereby and operable to p ass the sheetsaroundthe impression cylinder, [said gripper bars being provided with olf-set-portions pivoted to opposite links of the side. chains in` substantial transverse alignment with the tips of said rows of grippers,` wherebythe said tips will be maintained inyregister with the path of the side chains.

2. In a sheet-,fedrotary printingpress, a pluralityofv printing units, each including plate and impression cyl-v inders, and an endless chaincarrier comprising side chains, swinging gripper barsand rows of grippers carried therebyand operable to pass the sheets around the impression cylinders, said gripper bars being provided with off-set portions pivoted toopposite links of the,l

sidel chainsin substantial transverse alignmentwith the tips of said rows of grippers, whereby the tips will,beA

maintained in register with the path of theside chains. 3. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, aprinting unit including plate and impression cylinders, and anendless chain carrier including side chains, swinging gripper4 bars` and rows of grippers carriedthereby andoperable to of the side chains, said impression cylinder having. one,

or morer peripheralrecesses for receiving th'e gripper barsasthe grippers passaround'the cylinder, andjmeans atboth ends of said one or more recesses for exerting pressure on said gripperbars,tohmaintainthem in register therein.,

4..In a sheetfed ,rotary printingu press, aplurality of printingunits, each including plate,l and impression cylinders, and an endless chain carrier including side chains,y

swinging gripper bars and rows of grippers carried thereby and operable to pass the sheetsv around the impression cylinders, said gripper bars being provided with oifsetportions pivoted to opposite links of the Iside chains in substantial transversealignment with the tips of said'- rows 4of grippers, whereby the tipsy will be maintained in register with ,the path of the side chains; said `impressiontcylinders, having one or more peripheral recessesy for receiving the'gripper bars as the grippers pass around'V the cylinders, and means at both ends of said one or more recesses tor exerting pressure lon said gripper bars to maintain them in register therein.

5. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, one or more printing units each including plate and impression cylinders, one -or more drying units each including drying cylinders, and an endless chain carrier including side chains, swinging gripper bars and rows of grippers carried thereby, said gripper bars being provided with offset portions pivoted to opposite links of the side chains in substantial traverse alignment with the tips of said rows of grippers, whereby the said tips will be maintained in registerV with the path of the side chains, said impression and drying cylinders each having one or more peripheral recesses for receiving the gripper bars as the grippers pass around the cylinders.

6. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, one or more printing units each including plate and impression cylinders, one or more drying units each including drying cylinders, and an endless chain carrier including side chains, swinging gripper bars and rows of grippers carried thereby, said gripper bars being provided with oifset portions pivoted to opposite links of the side chains in substantial transverse alignment with the tips of said rows of grippers, whereby the Isaid tips will be maintained in register with the path of the side chains, said impression and drying cylinders each having one or more peripheral recesses for receiving the gripper bars as the grippers pass around the cylinders, and means at both ends of -said impression cylinder recess or recesses for engaging said gripper bars to maintain them in register therein.

7. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, a printing unit including plate and impression cylinders, an endless chain carrier including side chains, swinging gripper bars and rows `of grippers carried thereby, said gripper bars being provided with offset portions pivoted to opposite links of the side chains in substantial transverse'alignment with the tips of said rows of grippers, said plate and impression cylinders having coacting peripheral recesses for receiving the gripper bars as the grippers pass between said cylinders, and means for exerting pressure on said gripper bars to maintain the grippers in register as they pass between the plate and impression cylinders.

8. In a sheet fed rotary printing pres-s, a printing unit including plate and impression cylinders, a drying unit including drying cylinders, and an endless chain carrier including side chains, swinging gripper bars and rows of grippers carried thereby, said gripper bars being provided with oil-set portions pivoted to opposite links of the side chains in substantial transverse alignment with the tips of the said rows `of grippers, said plate, impression and drying cylinders having peripheral recesses for receiving the gripper bars as the grippers pass between said plate and impression cylinders and around the said drying cylinders.

9. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, a printing unit including plate and impression cylinders, a drying unit including drying cylinders, and an endless chain carrier including side chains, swinging gripper bars and rows of grippers carried thereby, Isaid gripper bars being provided with oi-set portions pivoted to opposite links of the side chains in substantial transverse alignment with the tips of the said rows of grippers, said plate, impression and drying cylinders having peripheral recesses for receiving the gripper bars as the grippers pass between said plate and impression cylinders and around the said drying cylinders, and means for exerting pressure on said gripper bars to maintain the grippers in register as they pass between the plate and impression cylinders.

10. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, a printing unit, an endless chain carrier extending from the sheet supply pile to the sheet delivery pile and including side chains and gripper Ybars linked thereto to swing therefrom, which gripper bars carry rows of grippers for conveying the sheets, fed from the sheet supply pile, through the printing unit to the sheet delivery pile.

ill. A printing press according to claim lOWhich in# cludes devices spaced from the printing unit for auto matically and independently taking up the slack in each of said side chains.

l2. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, printing and drying units, an endless chain carrier extending from the sheet supply pile to the sheet delivery pile and including side chains and gripper bars linked thereto to swing therefrom, which gripper bars carry rows of grippers for conveying the sheets, fed from the sheet supply pile, through the printing and drying units to the sheet delivery pile.

13. A printing press according to claim l2 which includes devices spaced from the printing and drying units for automatically and independently taking up the slack in each of said side chains.

14. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, a printing unit, an endless chain carrier extending from the sheet supply pilel to the sheet delivery pile and including side chains and gripper bars linked thereto to swing therefrom, grippers carried by said gripper bars, and a running sheet register located beneath the endless chain carrier and coacting therewith to register said sheets, said grippers being operable to take the registered sheets from the running sheet register and convey them through the printing unit.

l5. A printing press according to claim 14 which also includes devices spaced from the printing unit for automatically and independently taking up the slack in each of said side chains.

16. In a sheet fed rotary printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, a printing unit and at least one drying unit, an endless chain carrier extending from the sheet supply pile to the sheet delivery pile and including'side chains and gripper bars linked thereto to swing therefrom, grippers carried by said gripper bars, and a running sheet register located beneath the endless chain carrier and coacting therewith to register said sheets, said grippers being operable to take the registered sheets from the running sheet register and convey them through the printing and drying units.

17. A printing press according to claim 16 which also includes devices spaced from the printing and drying units for automatically and independently taking up the slack in each of said side chains.

18. In a sheet fed printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, a printing unit, an endless chain carrier including side chains and gripper bars linked thereto to swing therefrom, said gripper bars being provided with rows of grippers operable to convey the sheets from the sheet supply pile through the printing unit to the sheet delivery pile, fixed tracks for guiding the gripper bars, upper and lower guide rails for guiding the side chains to and from the printing unit and devices spaced from said printing unit operable to automatically and independently deect each of the side chains to separately take up the slack therein.

19. In a sheet fed printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles,` a printing unit, an endless chain carrier including side chains and gripper bars linked thereto to swing therefrom, said gripper bars being provided with rows of grippers operable to convey the sheets from the sheet supply pile through the printing unit to the sheet delivery pile, xed tracks for guiding the gripper bars, upper and lower guide rails for guiding the side chains to and from the printing unit and devices spaced from said printing unit operable to automatically and independently deect each of the side chains to separately take up the slack therein, said devices including spring pressed guide rail sections.

20. In a sheet fed printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, printing and drying units, an endless chain carrier-including-side chains and .gripper bars linked thereto to swing therefrom, said gripper barsbeingprovided with rows of grippers operable tokconvey the sheets:

from the sheet supply pile ythrough the printing and `drying units to the sheet delivery pile, fixed trackszfor guiding the gripper bars, rupper-and lower guide rails for guiding the side chains to and from the printingfanddrying units and devices spaced from said printing and drying units operable to automatically and independently deect each of the side chains to separately take up the slack therein.

21. In a sheet fed printing press, sheet supply and delivery piles, printing and drying units, kan endless chain carrier including side, chains and gripper bars linked thereto to vswing therefrom, said gripper bars being provided with rows of grippers operable to convey the sheets frorntthe sheet supply pile throughl the printing and drying units to the sheet delivery pile, Xed tracks for guidingthe gripper bars, upper and lower guide rails for guiding References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cottrell Dec. 25, 1883 1,879,095 Claybourn Sept. 27, 1932 2,138,405 Huckv Nov. 29, 1938 2,286,032 Eckhard .Tune 9, 1942 2,425,680 Kaddeland Aug. 12, 1947 2,577,099 Albrecht Dec. 4, 1951 2,621,040 Rinehart Dec. 9, 1952 2,638,342 Luehrs May 12, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 664,747 Germany Sept. 3, 1938 

